Working with Transferware...a glimpse at my desk.

By now, you may have figured out that I like transferware. I like it a lot.  I’m OCD, so...collecting...for me, is…well…an obsession. I am a 'more is never enough' type of decorator and there’s never enough when it comes to transferware, especially if you're a little (lot) obsessed with it!  Of course I love to decorate with transferware, but I also love to use it in practical ways (plus it gives me some good reasons to keep buying it ;-). I use it in every room of the house, with exception to my kids’ rooms (their day is coming).  I've been asked how I use my transferware so I’m going to do a few posts showing the different ways I use various pieces in  everyday applications. 

I do the majority of my work at home so I thought I'd show you all my desk.  My Father in law gave the desk to Shawn and me some years back.

 

On the right I’ve got several pieces:

A toothpick holder serves as a perfect fit for my business cards:

I love this Jack in the Pulpit Vase which holds my pretty 1928 scissors and another pair of old scissors that were my Mothers. I remember her cutting my hair with them!

You can BUY one like mine HERE

I use this old scuttle mug (shaving mug) to hold rubberbands and the top is sort of a catch all for loose change, etc.

A miniature mustard pot holds my paper clips:

Here’s a stack of Staffordshire and Transferware books I frequently reference.  A sugar bowl sits atop, holding peppermints.

This is another piece I'm fond of...it's a toothbrush holder by Spode dating to the late 1800's.  It has holes in the bottom for drainage and sits on a dish that catches the water.  I have some silk rose buds in it and hide my favorite pens behind the flowers (shhh.it's a secret....don't tell my kids or hubby because my pens will then suddenly vanish).

And on the left side of my desk...

...an egg cup holds stamps

A childs (miniature) coffee pot serves as a pen holder

I use this little covered butter dish to conceal the fragile stickers I put on all my outgoing packages.

A toast rack holds and sorts bills and letters

You can BUY a Mason's Vista toast rack just like mine HERE:

And I just love this ball vase which I display a small collection of antique letter openers and magnifying glass in.

Ok, this isn't transferware but I do like my extra large mouse pad!  It's not really a mouse pad...it's a small needlepoint rug or pillow cover.  It works every bit as well as a mouse pad and I love the design of the girl reading....plus I  like to stretch my arm out alot (due to a compound fracture a few years back) while I'm using the mouse so this gives me plenty of room to move around.

And, drum roll please, the best is last..... peeking out of this gravy bowl is my precious baby Ashton, when she was really a baby.  She is 12 now.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this and will get some good ideas for ways you can use things for purposes they weren't really intended for!  It's fun to mix it up!

A Poem For Your Thoughts:

I love, I love it, and who shall dare

To chide me for loving that old transferware?

 

Eliza Cook

 (ok, I'm busted...the last word really says arm-chair but I couldn't resist replacing it with transferware)


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